Sewer clean-out tool



Aug. 4, 1959 sEwx-:R CLEAN- OUT Toor.

Filed April 5.1958

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/ l I i ROY W VAR/VER JAMES 14./ BROWN www@ ATTORNEYS 2,897,524 SEWERCLEAN-our rooL Roy W. Varner and James W. Brown, Abilene, Tex.`Application April 3, 1958, Serial No. 726,243 Claims. (Cl. 15-104.3)

The present invention relates to sewer clean-out tools, and particularlyto tools which utilize water pressure.

The primary object of the invention i-s to provide a sewer clean-outtool which is moved through the sewer by water pressure within the sewerpipe.

Another object of the invention is to provide a sewer clean-out tool ofthe class described above having a valve therein for releasing the waterpressure.

A further object of the invention is to provide a sewer clean-out toolhaving a valve for releasing the water pressure and having means forremotely controlling the valve.

Other objects and advantages will become apparent in the followingspeciiication when considered in the light of the attached drawings, inwhich:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the invention shown in position in asewer pipe line, partially broken away and in section for convenience ofillustration.

Figure 2 is a transverse sectional view taken along the line 2-2 ofFigure 1, looking in the direction of the arrows.

Figure 3 is a longitudinal sectional view taken along the line 3 3 ofFigure 2, looking in the direction of the arrows, and illustrating thevalve in open position.

Referring now to the drawings in detail wherein like referencecharacters indicate like parts throughout the several iigures, thereference numeral indicates generally a sewer clean-out tool constructedin accordance with the invention.

The sewer clean-out tool 10 is normally used in a circular sewer pipe 11of conventional construction and is intended for the removal of debrisand other material such as is shown at 12 which has collected in the-sewer pipe and interferes with its normal use.

The sewer clean-out tool 10 includes a plurality of spaced apartparallel tubular frame members 13 each having an arcuate end portion 14converging inwardly and joined together at 15 by welding or the like.The frame members 13 have an ear 16 secured thereto at Itheir juncture15 and provided with a bore 17.

A circular plate 18 is positioned intermediate the opposite ends of theframe members 13 centrally thereof. The frame members 13 extend throughnotches 19 formed in the peripheral edge of the plate 18, and the plate18 is welded to the frame members 13 in perpendicularly extendingrelation thereto. The plate 18 has an axial bore 20 formed therein forreasons to be assigned.

A generally circular plate 21 is arranged parallel to the plate 18adjacent the end of the frame members 13 opposite ears 16. The plate 21is provided with a plurality of peripheral ears 22 through which theframe members 13 extend. The plate 21 is welded to the frame members 13adjacent to but spaced from the ends thereof opposite the ear 16. Theplate 21 has an axial bore 23 having a diameter somewhat greater thanthe bore 20 n the plate 18.

The frame members 13 each have threaded end portions 24 opposite thearcuate portions 14. A iexible ICE disk 25 is provided with an axialbore 26 of the same dimension as the bore 23 in the plate 21 and ispositioned in `axially aligned relation in contact with the plate 21with the threaded end portions 24 of the frame members 13 extendingtherethrough.

A plate 27 of identical construction to the plate 21'has an axial bore28 of the same diameter as the bores 23, 26. The plate 27 is engagedover the threaded ends 24 of the frame members 13 in contact with theside of the exible disk 25 opposite the plate 21. Nuts 29 threaded ontothe threaded end portions 24 of the trame members 13 secure the plate 27in clamping engagement with the liexible disk 25.

A generally circular valve disk 30 is arranged medially of the framemembers 13 intermediate the plate 18 and the plate 21. A valve stem 31extends through the bore Z0 in the plate 18 and has `a transverse bore32 formed in the end thereof adjacent the ear 16. The valve stem 31 hasa threaded extension 33 at the end thereof opposite the bore 32 and thevalve disk 30 is secured to the valve stem 31 by a pair of opposed nuts34 engaged on opposite sides of the valve disk 30.

The valve disk 30 is provided with a notch 35 in the peripheral edgethereof to loosely engage with each of the frame members 13 to guide thevalve disk 3i) into sealing relation with the plate 21, closing the bore23 therethrough. A coil spring 36 encompasses the valve stem 31 engagingat one end the plate 18 and at the opposite end the valve disk 30 tonormally maintain the valve disk 30 in sealing contact with the plate21.

A cable 37 extends from a conventional winch (not shown) and isconnected to the ear 16 through the bore 17 by means of a iitting 38. Acontrol cable 39 extends from a control apparatus (not shown) and has aloop 40 on its terminal end engaged through the bore 32 in the valvestem 31 to provide means for moving the valve disk 30 in a directiontoward the plate 18 against the tension of the spring 36 to open thebore 23 through the plate 21 and permit ilow of water past the exibledisk 25.

In the use and operation of the invention, the cleanout tool 10 isplaced in a sewer pipe 11 and lwater is inserted therein under pressureto force the ilexible disk 25 along the sewer pipe 11 in a directionfrom right to left, as viewed in Figures l and 3.

The ilexible disk 25 moves the debris 12 along the sewer pipe 11 untilthe accumulation thereof overcomes the force of the water in the pipe,retarding the forward movement of the exible disk 25. When this occurs,the valve disk 30 is moved away from the plate 21 by drawing on thecable 39 permitting water to ilow through the bore 23 of the plate 21 towash the debris l2 away from in front of the flexible disk 25.

Should this not be effective in removing the debris 12, the valve disk30 is closed quickly with a snap action, creating a shock pressureagainst the ilexible disk 25 so as to apply extra pressure to the debris12.

Having thus described the preferred embodiment of the invention, itshould be understood that numerous structural modifications andadaptations may be resorted to without departing from the scope of theappended claims.

What is claimed is:

l. A sewer clean-out tool for passage through elongated sewer pipescomprising a frame including a plurality of spaced apart parallellongitudinally extending frame members, a circular plate extendingtransversely of said frame intermediate the opposite ends thereof andsecured to each of said frame members, a second circular plate extendingparallel to said iirst circular plate and secured to said frame adjacentone end thereof, a ilexible disk engaging said second plate, meansdetachably se* cured to said fram'clrping said flexible disk to saidsecond plate, said last named means, said ilexible disk and said secondnamed plate having an axial bore extending therethrough, a Valve mountedon said frame for closing said bore, a cable secured to said frame forcon trolling' the movement vof said tool, and a control vcable foropening said valve secured to said valve whereby water pressure bearingagainst said tool maybe released.

2. A device as claimed in claim 1 wherein said Valve' includes a valvedisk, an elongated longitudinally extending valve' stem secured to saiddisk, and a coil spring encompassing said valve stem engaging at one endsaid first named circular plate and at the other end said valve disknormally biasing said valve disk in a direction to close said bore. Y

"3. A device'as claimed in claim l wherein said' frame members `at theend thereof opposite said exible disk areprovide'd with arcuateconverging portions secured together, and an' ear is secured to saidframe at the end thereof opposite said ilexible disk, said iirst namedcable being connected to said ear.

Vdisk is provided with a plurality of peripheral notches for looselyengaging said frame members.

5. A device as claimed in"claim l wherein the means clamping said exibledisk Ato said second named plate comprises la third plate identical tosaid second plate, said iframe members being threaded, and a pluralityof nuts engaging over the threaded ends of said frame members securingsaid thfd plate'i' clamping engagement to said exible disk. Y

References Cited in the .file 0f this Patent Umrnn STATES PATENTS

